Epileric -- I think you make a good point. I came across a website that reviews doctors (of all sorts), and they have a checklist of certain items, and you can rate them on a scale of something like 1 to 5 (items like...on time, bedside manner, etc.)
I could care less about whether the doctor is personable or chatty. What matters to me is whether...
1) The doc knows his stuff. Seriously. Neurology is one of those fields where there's tons of research going on constantly, and I want a doctor that is staying on top of the latest treatments. Also, a doctor that is open to and abreast of the most recent research on non-drug approaches like the Ketogenic diet, etc.
2) A doctor that is directly accessible by email or text when we are in a bit of a crisis or have a question about med changes, etc. I do NOT like calling the office and talking to a receptionist, who then tells me that the nurse will call, and so then we wait...an hour, or maybe until the end of the day when she gets around to returning calls, and then give her the question, which she then takes to the doctor, and the doctor gives her the answer, which she then relays to us...I do NOT like that process of having a go-between, because a lot of important information can get lost in the transition, not to mention all the time spent waiting to get a reply back. Our current epileptologist (in the States) and our Neurologist (here in Bangkok) are both accessible by email or text. Of course, it is the patient's responsibility to not abuse that access.
3) A doc that really LISTENS to what I'm saying when I'm explaining symptoms or asking questions. And...a doc that doesn't look at me like I have 2 heads when I come up with some hairbrained idea or theory, but rather says, "Well, that might work, let's give it a try" or says, "I don't think it will work, and here's why"
4) A doc (and a doc's office) that is reasonably on time. More often than not, WE are the ones that are knocking our doctor off his schedule, because Jon's getting admitted to the hospital, or he's getting squeezed in between scheduled appointments -- and that's how it goes with Pediatric Neurology -- kids have crisis, and I don't mind waiting a bit for my appointment because the doc is dealing with an emergency situation. But...we had one doc when Jon was an infant -- she was chronically late -- usually by at least 2 hours. All the other doctors that have seen Jon have been really good (when they're not called away on emergencies) about either being on time or even taking Jon in early on occasion.
